PGM=ICEMAN or PGM=SYNCSORT or PGM=DFSORT..confusion...

IBM's Sort Product, ICETOOL, ICEMAN and ICEGENER.
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Ashish Mathew
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PGM=ICEMAN or PGM=SYNCSORT or PGM=DFSORT..confusion...

Post by Ashish Mathew »

Hi,

What is the difference between PGM=SORT, PGM=ICEMAN and PGM=SYNCSORT. Are they all IBM products. Which one should be used in JCLs?
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Robert Sample
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Re: PGM=ICEMAN or PGM=SYNCSORT or PGM=DFSORT..confusion...

Post by Robert Sample »

Syncsort is a sort product produced by an IBM competitor (named Syncsort). CA-Sort is a sort product produced by an IBM competitor (named CA). DFSORT is the IBM sort product. EXEC PGM=SORT or EXEC PGM=ICEMAN are typically executing IBM's sort product, although some sites use aliases for Syncsort so EXEC PGM=SORT actually invokes Syncsort.

Actually, you probably should use NONE of these. Most sites allows you to enter EXEC SORT (or EXEC PROC=SORT) to invoke the site sort product via a PROCEDURE (or PROC) that includes most of the DD statements needed for a sort. While some sites have more than one sort product, they are not cheap and hence most sites only use one sort product so it is fairly rare to have a choice of which to use.
Ashish Mathew
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Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2013 6:17 pm

Re: PGM=ICEMAN or PGM=SYNCSORT or PGM=DFSORT..confusion...

Post by Ashish Mathew »

Thanks Robert.
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